Arhive

The European Commission appointed the High-level Strategy Group on industrial technologies to assess, discuss, and recommend support for research and innovation in the area of Key Enabling Technologies, also in view of future research and innovation programmes. Two new Key Enabling Technologies are proposed: artificial intelligence, and security and connectivity. The group also advises that, while biotechnology should be broadened to «life sciences», the EU has to continue to prioritise advanced manufacturing technologies, advanced materials and nanotechnologies, micro-/nano-electronics and photonics. With the right level of ambition and investment, Key Enabling Technologies will contribute to support growth and democracy through stronger citizens’ engagement, and prosperity through more equality and better jobs. The group recommends the EU and Member States to focus their policies on «inclusive growth» and the sustainable protection of our planet. The main goal is Europe to be the best place to live, study, work and flourish.

Comisia Europeană

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The End Of The Myth of a brot herly Belarus? Russian soft power in Belarus after 2014: the background and its manifestations

The Russian narrative on Belarus changed in 2014, when Russian expert circles and the government elite essentially redefined their perception of their Belorussian ally in the context of the conflict in Ukraine and the escalation of tensions between Moscow and the West. Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who was distancing himself from Moscow’s aggressive policy towards Kyiv, finally ceased to be viewed as the only and sufficient guarantor of keeping Belarus within the sphere of Russian influence. This gave rise to growing conviction in Russia that Moscow controls Minsk to an insufficient degree; the instruments of control are the energy sector (oil and gas supplies), trade (preferences on Russian output) and the military sector (close co-operation between the armies of the two countries). As a result, actions to create socio-cultural soft power promoting the ‘Russian World’ values, which had previously been taken on a very limited scale, were intensified.

China has emerged as a major global contender in the field of AI, the apex technology of the information era. In this report, we set out China’s ambitious top-down plans, the factors (talent, data and infrastructure) that make China unique and the companies (Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent) that are making it happen. We believe the development of an ‘intelligent economy’ and ‘intelligent society’ by 2030 in China has the potential to drive productivity improvement and GDP growth in the next two decades.

Took note of the developments regarding Syria since their last meeting on 22 November 2017 in Sochi;

Expressed their satisfaction with the outcomes of the first year of the Astana meetings held since January 2017, underlined that the Astana format had been the only effective international initiative that had helped reduce violence across Syria and had contributed to peace and stability in Syria, giving impetus to the Geneva process in order to find a lasting political solution to the Syrian conflict;

Reaffirmed their determination to continue their active cooperation on Syria for the achievement of lasting ceasefire between the conflicting parties and advancement of the political process envisaged by the UN Security Council Resolution 2254;